ClimateCast with Tom Heap Sky News

National Highways, the government agency responsible for England's main roads, has admitted that more than half a million trees beside a single 21-mile stretch of new carriageway have died – with the cost of replanting them now £2.9 million pounds.

Many tree experts say this is symptomatic of a focus on tree planting over tree care.

On this week’s Sky News ClimateCast, Tom Heap visits the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon where we speak to Lib Dem councillors Edna Murphy, Ros Hathorn and Firouz Thompson about what’s happened. Plus, tree surgeon Mike Downs on why it’s a much bigger issue, and former chief project officer at the Woodland Trust, Carol Honeybun Kelly, talks about solutions to help trees settle, survive and thrive.

Annie Joyce – senior podcast producer
Paul Stanworth – editor

In a corner of Ellesmere Port, Chester, 2,000 residents received flyers through their door informing them they will be cut off from conventional natural gas and plumbed into hydrogen - in the world’s first trial of its kind.

It's part of the UK's efforts to decarbonise the power system by 2035 - but some of the residents aren't happy.

On this week's episode of Sky News ClimateCast, Tom Heap visits the 'Hydrogen Village' to get a sense of how locals feel about the trial. He's also joined by experts on both sides of the debate to ask whether hydrogen has a place in the home. Plus David Joffe, Head of Net Zero at the Climate Change Committee, joins Tom to talk about plans to decarbonise by 2035 and how far we have to go.

Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse
Editor: Philly Beaumont

On this week's episode of ClimateCast, Tom Heap heads to Aberdeenshire to enjoy some local peated whisky - but what actually is peat and why are its uses so controversial?

Peatlands, also known as bogs, are key in the UK's fight against climate change. Their spongy soil stores vast amounts of carbon and are a haven for biodiversity - but their commercial benefits are endless too from heating homes to flavouring famous Scottish whisky.

As Scotland contemplates banning the digging and burning of peat, Tom hikes across some of the country's bogs to discover their wonders. He also visits a family run business who've been selling peat to locals for generations as well as a distillery who say they can restore more peat than they use for their tipple.

Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse
Editors: Paul Stanworth and Philly Beaumont

On this week's episode of ClimateCast, Tom Heap gets exclusive access to London's super sewer, the solution to the Thames's poo problem.

London's iconic river is one of thousands up and down the country subject to raw sewage flowing into the water whenever there's rain, causing problems for the natural environment as well as the people who enjoy it.

Tom visits the riverside to assess just how big the problem at hand is. He's also joined by Alastair Chisholm from the Chartered Institute of Water Environmental Management, to ask who is going to pay to clean up UK waters.

Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse
Editor: Paul Stanworth

Car is king in many of our neighbourhoods, but heavy congestion and air pollution has led to some local councils rethinking the layouts of town and city centres, including reducing where cars can go.

In Oxford the idea has sparked controversy after the council’s plan to install traffic filters on some roads means some people could be fined for driving into other neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, Ghent in Belgium has implemented an 'active city' scheme, transforming roads into cycle lanes and redeveloping a car park back into a river, improving public transport efficiency and encouraging people to get on their bikes.

ClimateCast host Tom Heap explores both cities to investigate the pros and cons of the changes.

Podcast Producer: Soila Apparicio
Climate Output Producer: Gemma Watson
Editor: Paul Stanworth

Climate-friendly energy sources such as wind and solar rely on the weather playing ball, and when it doesn’t, the UK is forced to fire up costly and polluting gas to prevent blackouts.

But in Merseyside, a facility of massive batteries are on a mission to solve that problem.

On this week's episode Tom Heap checks out nightlife in Liverpool - not to let loose, but to learn why massive batteries could keep the lights on when demand is high and renewable power generation is low.

Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse
Editors: Paul Stanwoth and Philly Beaumont